Album

Conductor Semyon Bychkov has recorded with some of the greatest orchestras in the world, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Rundfunk Symphony, London Philharmonic, and the Berlin Philharmonic (with which he made an earlier recording of the present Shostakovich Symphony No. 11). Upon hearing this disc, it is safe to conclude that his newest post as principal conductor of the Symphony Orchestra Cologne has resulted in an amazing symbiotic relationship for ensemble and conductor alike.

Shostakovich has rarely sounded so fresh and alive, and no other recording in memory of this symphony has sounded so spectacular and masterful. Bychkov elicits an impressive array of sound and color from the orchestra. The first movement is stark and glass-like, almost taking away the listener's sense of time. The percussion and brass interrupt the serenity, foretelling the military threat that is to come. The second movement fugato is viscous, savage, and relentless. The unity and untiring drive that Bychkov has is simply remarkable, drawing listeners in as if they are actually witnesses to the tragic day, and leaving them breathless by the end. The fourth movement is a non-stop barrage of revolutionary folk tunes, ending with an exhilarating flurry of sound and conflict. This is truly a must-have recording for Shostakovich fans, even those already familiar with Bychkov's earlier recording of the same work on Phillips with the Berlin Philharmonic. One can only hope that this team will one day bring a full cycle of Shostakovich symphonies.

© Mike D. Brownell, All Music Guide

CD 1
Dmitri Shostakovich Composer Symphony No.11 in G- ('The Year 1905'), Op.103 Work 59:05 Cologne West German Radio Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Semyon Bychkov Conductor
1	1.Adagio: The Palace Square	14:26			Album Only
2	2.Allegro: 9th of January	18:40			Album Only
3	3.Adagio: In Memoriam	12:02			Album Only
4	4.Allegro non troppo: Tocsin	13:57			Album Only